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By Ernest Kearney — Stringmates by Amanda Noriko Newman takes it core concept from the Asian legend of the “Red String of Fate”; The belief that the gods bind two individuals who are destined to be together with an unbreakable red string that connects them no matter what distance separates them.

It is a lovely myth, and Newman employs it with a sense of whimsy and humanity that carries throughout the work.

Two women, Sarah Ruttan and Elyse Hamilton, find they are connected though neither are gay. Another man, Thomas Davis, finds he is connected to Plato’s Republic, and another man, Alexander Hurren, unable to bear the demands of being someone’s “perfect” match has his string removed, much to the distress of his yet unmet match, Cassidy Davis.

Directed by Mahealani LeofaStringmates is a dance piece with interludes of narrative skits, and the show both moves well and is moving.

But the piece does work best when functioning purely in the language of dance. There is the story of an older couple, Angel Ramsdell and William Clayton that uses no dialogue and is perhaps the most heartrending of the evening.

However it is, with the talents named and those of the rest of the ensemble, Dayle Embleton, Luis Martinez, Armando Eleazar Estrada and Anaiah Simons, the show is a small gem and a delight to watch.

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An award-winning L.A. playwright and rabble-rouser of note who has hoisted glasses with Orson Welles, been arrested on three continents and once beat up Charlie Manson. His first play, "Among the Vipers" was a semi-finalist in the Julie Harris Playwriting Competition and was featured in the Carnegie-Mellon Showcase of New Plays. It was produced at the NPT Theater in Ashland, Oregon and Los Angeles’ celebrated Odyssey Ensemble Theatre. His following play, “The Little Boy Who Loved Monsters” was produced at The Hollywood Actors Theater, where he earned praise from the Los Angeles Times for his “…inordinately creative writing.” The play went on to numerous other productions including Berlin’s The Black Theatre under the direction of Rainer Fassbinder who wrote in his program notes of Kearney, “He is a skilled playwright, but more importantly he is a dangerous one.” Ernest Kearney has worked as literary manager or as dramaturge for among others The Hudson Theater Guild, Nova Diem and the Odyssey Ensemble Theatre, where he still serves on the play selection committee. He has been the recipient of two Dramalogue Awards and a finalist or semi-finalist, three times, in the Julie Harris Playwriting Competition. His work has been performed by Michael Dunn, Sandra Tsing Loh, Jack Colvin and Billy Bob Thornton, and to date, either as playwright or director, he has upwards of a hundred and thirty productions under his belt, including a few at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater as puppeteer. After a wild and misspent youth, which lasted well into middle age, Kearney has settled down and is focusing on his writing, as well as living happily ever after with his lovely wife Marlene. Ernest’s stage reviews and social essays can be found at TheTVolution.com and workingauthor.com. Follow him on Facebook.

Latest comment

Emily Lavengood|July 19, 2017

Brandon Bolte, the choreographer as well as the music composer of the ENTIRETY of stringmates was sadly uncredited as he was deserved. He choreographed and hand picked the cast of William Clayton, Dayle Embleton, Anaiah Simons, Armando Estrada, Luis Martinez, as well as wrote, edited and composed all of the accompaniment through every transition on and off stage. I agree and fully support all that was said above; however, i do believe a lengthy amount of credit should be going to Mr. Brandon Bolte.